Gordon Murray Announces New Teewave AR.1 Electric Sports Car

Gordon Murray may need little introduction among gearheads following his work on the McLaren F1 supercar back in the 1990s, but his most recent projects, the T.25 and T.27 minicars, certainly raised a few eyebrows.

Sports car fans need not have feared however, as today Gordon Murray Design (GMD) and Toray Industries Inc. announced a new prototype electric sports car, called the TEEWAVE AR.1.

Murray has hinted previously that the upright T.25 and T.27 weren't the only cars he had planned for his groundbreaking iStream production process, and the AR.1 - internally codenamed T.32 at GMD - confirms it.

The design has hints of Tesla Roadster about it, though the weight is much more in Lotus Elise territory at 1,874 lb including the 529 lb battery pack. This is due to a strong and lightweight carbon monocoque.

That battery is made up of lithium-ion cells with a 16 Kwh output. An electric motor powering the rear wheels develops only 47 Kw (63 horsepower), but that low weight and a strong 132 pounds-foot of torque available at a standstill ensures lively acceleration. 0-62 mph should take 11.4 seconds, which is sure to feel much quicker that close to the ground.

Top speed is 91 mph but range is more impressive, the light weight again contributing to a 115 mile range on the European cycle. GMD even releases predicted CO2 figures of 31.4 grams per kilometer on a Japanese energy mix - thought it's sure to be greater if all your electricity comes from coal.

With the T.27 electric city car and now the AR.1 electric sports car, we can't wait to see what else Gordon Murray has up his sleeve...